Cancer Patients Sacrificed On Trump’s Altar Forty percent of Americans will face cancer. Instead of protecting us, Trump wages war on science itself, gutting research and gambling with every heartbeat, every family, every future. MeidasTouch Network and Michael Cohen Sep 16 Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash Every one of us, bar none, knows someone who has been stolen from us by cancer. The curse spares no one. I’ve watched it hollow out children who never got to play ball in the park, teenagers who never got to feel their first kiss, young parents who never saw their kids graduate, and elders who deserved the dignity of growing old but were instead chewed apart by a disease that has no conscience. Cancer doesn’t care about your politics, your bank account, your religion, or the color of your skin. It doesn’t discriminate. It devours. And yet, here we are in America, in 2025, watching the Trump administration take a sledgehammer to the very system we’ve spent decades building to fight this killer. Who asked for this? Who benefits from it? Why is this happening? Let’s back up for a second. More than 50 years ago, America declared war on cancer. At the time, there was naive optimism; the belief that beating cancer would be as straightforward as splitting the atom or putting a man on the moon. But cancer, it turns out, isn’t a singular enemy. It’s thousands of enemies, each mutation a different battlefield. There was no miracle cure, no single silver bullet. What we got instead was decades of hard-fought, incremental progress. And you know what? That progress saved lives. In the 1970s, if you were diagnosed with cancer, you had barely a coin-flip’s chance of making it five years. Today, because of sustained investment, because of government funding, because we decided as a society that this was a war worth fighting, the survival rate has risen from 49 percent to 68 percent. Every $326 spent by our government on cancer research has bought one additional year of human life. Think about that: a single year, for the cost of a one-night standard hotel room. That’s not abstract. That’s mothers, fathers, children, and friends. That’s birthdays celebrated, graduations attended, weddings danced at. That is the one thing — no matter who you are — you just can’t buy. That’s time. But now, in the span of a few months, this administration has gutted the system. Hundreds of millions in grants: gone. Payments for research contracts: suspended. Federal employees who ensured life-saving discoveries reached patients: terminated. And in the coldest, most callous move of all, the Trump administration’s proposed budget slashes the National Cancer Institute’s funding by 37 percent. Thirty-seven percent. Let that number sink in. From $7.2 billion to $4.5 billion — the smallest budget in more than three decades once you adjust for inflation. And I’m left asking again: Who the hell asked for this? Did you go into the voting booth thinking, “Yes — I want to cut cancer research by a third”? Did anyone? Show me the town hall where families stood up and demanded: Defund the labs. Fire the scientists. Mass Cancer Now. Slow down the progress on the disease that kills one in three of us. It didn’t happen. Because this isn’t democracy at work. This isn’t some groundswell of public opinion. This is cruelty dressed up as fiscal policy. The White House tells us this is about rooting out so-called “politically driven DEI initiatives.” That’s the excuse. But let’s not kid ourselves. This isn’t trimming fat; it’s amputating muscle, tendon, and bone. It’s a deliberate and conscious effort to dismantle one of the most successful scientific enterprises America has ever built. An enterprise that has saved millions of lives, generated billions in economic return, and kept this country at the forefront of medical innovation. So, who benefits? That’s the ugliest question of all. Not patients. Not families. Not the oncologists fighting in hospitals every day. No, the winners here are short-term political optics, culture-war ideologues, and the billionaire class that’s always eager to watch public institutions fail so private industry can swoop in, charge ten times more, and profit off our grief. But here’s the reality: cancer doesn’t care about your ideology. It doesn’t pause to ask if you pulled the lever for a Republican or a Democrat. It doesn’t salute the flag before it metastasizes. It doesn’t read your bank statement before it takes your child. It is universal. It is relentless. And what we are witnessing right now is not just defunding; it is betrayal. A betrayal of the scientists who’ve dedicated their lives to inching us closer to cures. A betrayal of families who live with the terror of a diagnosis. A betrayal of every American who believed — however naively — that our leaders would at least protect the fight against the one enemy we all share. This is the quiet violence of policy. You won’t see it splashed across a chyron the way you see a riot, or a war, or a mass shooting. But the body count will come. It will come in delayed treatments, in slowed research, in missed opportunities. It will come in the silences at dinner tables where laughter used to be. So I ask again: Who asked for this? Who benefits from this? Why is this happening? And when the cancer diagnosis comes, and it will — because for 40 percent of Americans it’s not a matter of if but when — will anyone still believe this was just about “cutting costs”? Or will they finally see it for what it is: a conscious choice to let disease win, to let the clock run out on human lives, to sacrifice progress for power. Because the truth is simple. We didn’t lose the war on cancer. We were winning. And now, by design, we’re surrendering. Meidas+ is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. RIGHT NOW IS THE TIME FOR YOU TO JOIN THE FIGHT! SUBSCRIBE. READ. SHARE. RESTACK. Michael Cohen Principal of Crisis-X #1 and #8 NYT Bestseller Author Host of The Mea Culpa Podcast Co-Host of The Political Beatdown Former Personal Attorney To President Donald J. Trump Discharged Felon Yeah, I know; you’re tired. This shit is exhausting. Guess what? Me too. But I’ve spent the last 8 years throwing punches in the dark so truth could get a little daylight. And now I’m asking you to step into the ring with me. Because if you’re still reading this, you already get it: This isn’t just a newsletter. It’s a rally cry. A war drum. A line in the sand. We are not passive observers of the downfall. We are the resistance. We call out the liars. We drag corruption by the collar into the sunlight. We say the quiet parts out loud; and we don’t flinch. But here’s the truth: I can’t do this solo. Not anymore. The storm is already here. We are standing in it. And it’s wearing stars and stripes like camouflage, preaching “freedom” while it sells fascism at retail. So let me ask you: Are. You. In? Because this is not a scroll-and-forget read. This is a living, breathing, fire-breathing movement; and movements don’t move unless you do. We need to be louder than spin, tougher than propaganda, and impossible to gaslight. That takes more than clicks. More than likes. It takes skin in the game. So if you believe truth matters; if you're sick of the bullshit, if you’re ready to stop screaming into the algorithm and start pushing back with purpose, this is your next step. HERE’S HOW YOU PUT YOUR FOOT ON THE GAS: Become a paid subscriber. Fund fearless, unfiltered journalism that hits back. Share this with the loudest people you know; the ones who never sit down and shut up. Build the community. Amplify the message. Be the damn megaphone. And yeah; Founding Members? The first 240 of you will get a signed, numbered, limited-edition Substack version of Revenge. That’s not just a collector’s item. That’s receipts. Proof you didn’t sit this one out. But let’s be clear: This isn’t about a book. It’s about backbone. It’s about calling out the gaslighters and refusing to be played. It’s about locking arms and saying, "Not. On. Our. Watch." You want to make a difference? Then make it; right now. Because if we don’t fight for truth, no one will. But if we fight together? They can’t drown us out. Let’s be so loud, they wish we were just angry tweets. Let’s be unshakable. Unignorable. Un-fucking-breakable. Let’s go! Meidas+ is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. A guest post by Michael Cohen Principal of Crisis-X #1 and #8 NYT Bestseller Author Host of The Mea Culpa Podcast Co-Host of The Political Beatdown Former Personal Attorney To President Donald J. Trump and Discharged Felon

MAGA Turns on Trump And that was just part of his very bad week Dan Rather and Team Steady Jul 14 Credit: Getty Images It would be the irony to end all ironies if Donald Trump’s ultimate undoing came not from a criminal conviction or impeachment but a revolt of the voters who elected him: the MAGA faithful. It seems impossible, but we’ve learned that head-spinning happenings in Trump-world are the norm, not the exception. Pull up a chair, because we’ve never seen a week like the last one. To be sure, all Trump time periods — weeks, days, and months — are riddled with disinformation, flip-flopping, and face-palming decision-making, but even so, his base has never deserted him. As recently as last week, he was doing a victory lap after signing his “big ugly bill” when suddenly all hell broke loose. MAGA went into meltdown. And as we begin a new week, something feels different. Some of Trump’s key supporters have been downright nasty toward their dear leader, like never before. Their issue is the non-release of files from the Jeffrey Epstein case. And they are some kind of mad. But that’s just one part of a wacky week. Trump also did a 180 on FEMA (now he likes the agency) after his administration’s delayed response to the catastrophic flooding in Texas. That and his increasingly brutal targeting of immigrants are plummeting his popularity and his polling numbers, even among Republicans. The Epstein Conspiracy Theory To refresh your memory (because who wants to remember this one), Jeffrey Epstein was a convicted child sex offender who died in jail. He was also a high-level financier who befriended a lot of powerful people, from Trump himself to Prince Andrew and Bill Clinton. MAGA believes there is a massive government cover-up of the Epstein case, claiming the Biden administration hid details of a child sex-trafficking ring that involved big names, including Hollywood “elites.” They also believe that Epstein was murdered to protect unnamed Democrats. These conspiracy theories were happily promoted by Trump & Co. during the 2024 campaign. And Trump promised to release Epstein’s client list when he returned to the Oval Office. But last week, Attorney General Pam Bondi said there was no client list and that the case was closed. Not so fast. The shutting down of the most salacious and popular conspiracy theory among Trump’s base did not go over well, to say the least. The MAGAsphere went ballistic, seeing the hoped-for release of the supposedly damning information as “draining the swamp” and exposing corruption in Washington. Politico has dubbed it a “fast-metastasizing MAGA rebellion.” A great part of Trump’s strength, if you can call it that, is speaking aloud politically incorrect beliefs held by his base. He is a self-styled fighter and disruptor. By backing away from the Epstein case, he diminishes this stature and looks like a weak and frail politician who gave in. But maybe the files contain something Trump doesn’t want the world to see. At a summit for young conservatives last weekend, MAGA leaders did the unthinkable: They openly criticized Trump both on stage and on social media. Even Fox “News” pushed the White House for more information. Trump loyalist Steve Bannon told a crowd of student activists, “It’s deeper than Epstein! It’s about who governs us.” Far-right influencer and self-appointed MAGA spokesperson Laura Loomer pulled no punches. “There should be a special counsel appointed to do an independent investigation of the handling of the Epstein files so that people can feel like this issue is being investigated.” To no one’s surprise, Trump remains defiant and undeterred, calling on MAGA to just calm down. “We have a PERFECT Administration, THE TALK OF THE WORLD, and ‘selfish people’ are trying to hurt it, all over a guy who never dies, Jeffrey Epstein,” Trump posted. It backfired. His supporters want Bondi gone. Charlie Kirk, the organizer of the youth summit, predicts that all this will translate to some Trump voters staying home next election, calling Trump’s inaction a “huge risk.” Trump needs his far-right voters for the fast-approaching midterms. The Future of FEMA Over the July 4th weekend, torrential rainfall led to flash flooding that ravaged the Texas Hill Country. To date, 120 people have been confirmed dead; many more are still missing. Before Trump, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) would have pre-positioned search and rescue teams. But because Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem now requires that she personally approve any spending exceeding $100,000, it didn’t happen. While she wasn’t available to sanction the expenditure, she was asking her social media followers to vote on which Western-themed portrait of her riding a horse should hang in the South Dakota Capitol. Noem finally authorized money to dispatch rescue crews, shoot aerial footage of the area, and staff a disaster call center on Monday, July 7 — 72 hours after the flooding hit. FEMA, created in 1979 by President Jimmy Carter, is the cornerstone of the country’s response to natural disasters. As the planet continues to warm and extreme weather activity increases, FEMA is needed more than ever. Last year the United States experienced 27 $1 billion-plus disasters, an increase from 2023. Seems like the perfect time to gut the agency. Since Trump took office, FEMA has fired or laid off 25% of its staff, including 600 people at the National Weather Service (NWS). The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is set to close 10 labs that research the effects of climate change, including an office in Miami that deploys hurricane hunters and one in Norman, Oklahoma, that created a tool that predicts flooding like that in Texas. The NWS did issue flood warnings for the Guadalupe River, but because of the cuts, the San Antonio office was without its warning coordination meteorologist, who handles communicating with local authorities. Back in January, Trump said, “I think, frankly, FEMA is not good. The FEMA thing has not been a very successful experiment.” Now Trump is backtracking on his promise to “get rid of it,” claiming he was never going to eliminate FEMA but that the agency simply needs a “rebranding.” Immigration Adjustment Immigration has been the No. 1 issue Trump could rely on to energize his base. Until recently, he had consistently positive poll numbers around his handling of immigration. But Nate Silver’s polling average now has him at -4 on his signature issue, and a new Gallup poll conducted during the month of June shows a huge shift in American attitudes toward immigrants. Perhaps the change is an inadvertent consequence of shining a spotlight on how essential immigrants are to the American economy — or maybe it was deploying U.S. Marines on American streets. Either way, 79% now say immigration is a “good thing,” which is a record high. And 62% give Trump negative marks for his management of the issue. Even Republicans are not enamoured with Trump’s harsh policies. Today, just 48% say they want fewer immigrants — way down from the 88% who said so last year. So far, public opinion has not swayed Trump’s intention to carry out the largest mass deportation in our history, nor has it pushed him to employ more humane tactics. Over the weekend, Democratic lawmakers were finally given a tour of Alligator Alcatraz, the hastily erected tent city–immigrant detention center in a Florida swamp. What they reported seeing is barbaric. Detainees are confined to cages enclosed by chainlink fencing with three unhygienic, open-air toilets for 32 people. There is no escape from the oppressive heat, humidity, and swarming mosquitoes. Though lawmakers were not allowed to meet with any of the detainees, they could hear them begging for help. And Trump plans to build more detention centers like this one, doubling capacity across the U.S. Trump’s poll numbers have long been headed downward. But increasing numbers of people are beginning to see what inexperience, incompetence, and intolerance can do to our beloved country. One would imagine that the Jeffrey Epstein saga is far down your list of things to care about. But the rising revolt on the far-right is something to watch. Trump is finally being challenged from all sides. It’s time to redouble our efforts and pay close attention. Knowledge is power. Steady is free, but to support my team’s efforts to protect our democracy through the power of independent journalism, we’d appreciate it if you would consider joining as a paid subscriber. It keeps Steady sustainable and accessible for all. If you are not able to upgrade, we understand. No matter how you subscribe, I thank you for reading. Stay Steady, Dan

Sign the petition: Trump's misuse of the military in LA and Washington D.C.

 

TELL CONGRESS: While Trump sends troops to spread violence in Los Angeles, his giant, expensive military parade in DC is moving forward on June 14th. It would be a grotesque symbol of authoritarianism that will cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. Sign the petition: Block funding for Trump’s military parade!

ADD YOUR NAME

The Washington Post reports that the military planned to celebrate its 250th anniversary with a modest event in Washington — roughly 300 troops and a ceremony.¹ Then, Trump got elected and decided to turn the whole thing into a costly, grotesque show of authoritarianism on his birthday. He said that any protesters at his military parade will be met with “very heavy force.”²

300 troops turned into 7,000 troops. Tanks, military jets, missiles and rocket launchers were added.³ Trump’s parade will cost taxpayers well over $45 million.⁴ As Trump floods the streets of Los Angeles with the National Guard and Marines, he’s going ahead and filling the streets of D.C. with a military display that has no place in a democracy.

Congress has the power to block funding for Trump’s tank-filled birthday and must take action now.

Sign the petition: Stop Trump’s military birthday parade on June 14th. We have only a few days left to stop this — as protests break out across the country opposing Trump’s deployment of ICE and the military!

ADD YOUR NAME

While Trump wastes money on his birthday parade, his budget cuts are taking away benefits from veterans, military families, and many others across the country. ICE is raiding our cities and taking immigrants away from their families and communities. The White House continues defying court orders. This is an anti-democratic regime preparing to march the military through the streets — wasting taxpayer money and abusing its power.

Trump has shown an unwavering commitment to targeting his political enemies and carry out his extreme right-wing polices — like mass deportations. A military parade is a strongman’s show of strength, to continue Trump’s march towards autocracy.

Sign the petition: Urge Congress to block funding for Trump’s June 14th tank-filled military parade.

Thanks for taking action,

Joey and the team at Demand Progress

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Sources:

1. Washington Post, “How Trump finally got the military parade he always wanted,” June 7, 2025.
2. NBC News, “Trump warns that military parade protesters will face 'very heavy force,'” June 10, 2025.
3. Axios, “Scoop: Rocket launchers, missiles to be featured in Trump's Army parade,” June 7, 2025.
4. The Intercept, “Expect Trump's Military Parade To Cost More Than The Army Says,” May 29, 2025.

 

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His work cleaned up Superfund sites. The Trump administration fired him.

 

MARCH NEWSLETTER

The biggest environmental rollback in history Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin has announced plans to begin the process of gutting federal rules to safeguard our health, air, water, and climate. Previously, Earthjustice successfully defended many of these safeguards in court and will do so again. READ MORE >>   Donate today to protect our future on planet Earth Earthjustice won 85% of the time against the first Trump administration. Should the EPA undo settled law and irrefutable facts, we expect to see this administration in court. DONATE TODAY     The Environmental Protection Agency must prioritize protecting families, communities, and our health Trump’s EPA is abandoning the agency’s mandate to protect the health of the American people and granting the wish list of fossil fuel industries from coal-fired power plants to oil and gas drillers. We must hold Administrator Zeldin accountable and demand he uphold bedrock environmental protections that will safeguard our clean air and clean water and protect our communities from toxic chemicals. TAKE ACTION   His work cleaned up Superfund sites. The Trump administration fired him. Thousands of firings across the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies put our environment and public health at risk. One fired public servant shares his story. READ MORE >>   “I’m worried about what that means for the future of farming.” Laura Beth Resnick owns and runs Butterbee Farm in White Hall, Maryland. Resnick was approved for a grant through the Inflation Reduction Act that would have reimbursed half the cost of her solar panels, which was later withdrawn. Earthjustice is suing the Trump administration on behalf of Resnick and many others for reneging on those funding promises. READ MORE >>     In Conversation: Taking on the Trump administration “We recognize that we’re playing on different terrain in 2025 than we were in 2017. Know that Earthjustice has 220+ active litigators, many more communicators, many more people working both on Capitol Hill and in statehouses, who are going to be working across this whole scope of work.” – Sam Sankar, Senior Vice President of Programs on Earthjustice’s plans during the first 100 days of the second Trump administration   National monuments are at risk Attacks on the Chuckwalla and Sáttítla Highlands National Monuments in California would jeopardize countless sacred sites, landscapes, and cultural resources that Tribal leaders and local communities fought for years to be protected. READ MORE >>

DONATE NOW   Earthjustice 50 California Street, Suite 500 San Francisco, CA 94111 About Us  Photo Credits (top to bottom): Stephanie Keith / Getty Images, Jane Tyska / Digital First Media / East Bay Times via Getty Images, Alyssa Schukar for Earthjustice, Bob Wick